Children’s Foster Care

Foster care parents give someone else’s child a safe place to stay during a difficult
time for the family in which the child is not able to stay at home. Every child
needs security and nurturing in order to grown into a healthy adult. Counties,
tribes and private agencies license foster parents in Wisconsin.

Specialized Foster Care

Specialized foster care homes are intended to provide a higher level of care than
a general foster home. Specialized foster parents are generally very experienced
foster parents and are willing and able to manage children or youth who are struggling
in various ways.

Kinship Care

Kinship Care is designed to help support a child who needs to live outside of his
or her own home, either temporarily or for the long term, by placing the child with
a relative (such as an adult brother or sister, a first cousin, a nephew or niece,
an uncle or aunt or a grandparent, among others).

Foster Care - Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a question to expand the answer.

Q: What kind of person makes a good foster parent?

A: Anyone who has a desire to help. We
do not need perfect people or fancy homes,
you can be a single mom, an LGBT couple, married couple with or without children,
renting or owning your home. You can
have an interest in providing short term care, long term care, or a desire to adopt.
We welcome all people to show an
interest and just ask that there be a desire to help children in need.

Q: Basic requirements to become a foster parent?

A: Preliminary background checks are done
to start, and later on there will be
more extensive background checks, home visits, along with a thorough assessment
period including a financial review.
There are no educational requirements.

You need to be 21 years of age or older.

The initial assessment may seem a little invasive, however, it is important to ensure
child safety.

Q: Is training provided?

A: Yes, some upfront training is required,
and later on there is some ongoing training.

Q: Can I choose the type of children I want to foster?

A: Skills and abilities are taken into consideration
when making placement decisions;
we do ask preferences for ages, race and gender. You can decline a placement if
you feel that the placement would not be a
good fit.

Q: How long will I have a child?

A: It depends on the child and the family.
The goal is generally to return the child
to the home, however, sometimes this does not happen quickly and sometimes not at
all. We need foster families that are willing
to keep children for varying lengths of time, from a couple days to months, as well
as the consideration of adopting the children
or being a long term resource for them.

Q: How involved is the biological family?

A: Usually visits are scheduled, but the
frequency of the visitation and level of supervision
depends on safety of the children with their biological family. We encourage biological
parents to maintain and build relationships
with their children while in foster care, however, this is a choice that the parent
makes and varies on a case by case basis.

Q: If there are problems with a child, will I have
support?

A: A social worker is assigned to each child.
Additionally, you will be assigned a foster care
coordinator. There are local crisis services available if needed and there is a
social worker on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
365 days a year. Children with difficult behavioral issues often have a crisis
plan in place, so the foster parent is aware of whom
they can turn to for assistance.

Q: Do the children have medical insurance coverage?

A: All children in out-of-home care are
provided with Medical Assistance care from the State.

Q: How does the community learn more about becoming
a foster parent in Wood County?

A: For more information about becoming a
foster care provider contact: